


Lonely Dark

by RegretaJones



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: ? - Freeform, Bottom Lance (Voltron), Galra Keith, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Langst, M/M, Mama Blue, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Pining Lance (Voltron), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), Top Keith (Voltron), klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-05 00:57:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15158924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegretaJones/pseuds/RegretaJones
Summary: Shiro and Keith are back. Everyone has settled into the new routine and and is working well together. All is good. Except Lance. With everything going on they forgot that Lance had died once and came back, heck, Keith wasn't even told. But he doesn't want to disrupt the new rhythm.(WARNING - this book may contain BDSM and triggers)





	1. Temporary Relief

Shiro was back. Keith was there. It was all good. Of course the team dynamic was still being ironed out. But other than that Lance figured things were going as smoothly as they could through the metaphorical asteroid belt of space. Everything was fine. Except him. The problem isn’t if can fly a lion. In fact Shiro had taken to controlling from the castle and leaving the new team as it was. No, the problem was the paladin now flying the red lion was now afraid of the dark.   
In a group or in a lion he was fine. Just as long as someone was there. Someone, something, to reaffirm his existence. When the time for sleep came and everyone dispearced to their own rooms was when the dread began crawling up his throat. Lance refused to turn out the light in his room. If he did the room would start closing in on him. Phantom hands would claw at his skin to suffocate him. His breath would become shallow. Sweat would lace his skin. Senses he should have would seemingly shut down. Touch, he was floating. Taste, only the blood from his tongue ground him. Sight, wasn’t there in the first place. Balance, nonexistent. Hearing, just the roar of silence. 

Then he would be jolted from the contraption of his brain with the shock that death had on him. He felt it. Everytime. He re-lived it again. And again. Again. Everytime the lights went out and the people filtered out. But he couldn’t say anything. Lance was supposed to be happy. He was the life of the party. The glue of the family that had just been reunited. Who was he to ruin the delicately balanced peace that had worked so hard to achieve. When things went south it was his job to lighten the air and keep things moving. Forwards, backwards, sideways. Anyway besides stopping because once the momentum stopped it would all fall apart and he couldn’t be the person to stop it because he was selfish enough to fail at his job when other people needed the help more than he did. Almost every other stop they made the situation would be worse than his currently. 

Right now Lance sat on his bed with crossed legs. He was hugging an armful of stuffed toys that he had begun collecting in attempt to fix himself. But the light stayed on. This way he could at least sleep without pills. Those had run out an earth month ago. He couldn’t ask for more. Then they’d know something was wrong. They might worry too much and get distracted during missions, which he could still function during. It was back in the castle that was the worst. 

A tear trickled down his face. He was so fed up with this. Sleeping with the light on didn’t really allow anyone, let alone him, get a good rest. A muffled sob left his lips as he felt himself braking. He pulled the stuffy with the likeness of the Bulmara into his face for comfort. It wasn’t enough. Purring came from the back of his mind as both Blue and Red reminded him they were there. He focused on them to bring himself back from the edge of breaking down completely. 

Oddly the picture they chose to comfort him with was a nest. “You want me to make a nest?” he asked with brows furrowed. A warm feeling flooded his chest in confirmation. He giggled and wiped the snot dripping from his nose with his sleeve. The familiar feeling of the indistinct pull to the lions made him feel happier. They urged him faster. “Coming,” Lance answered with a smile. A nest would take effort though. He gather the extra blankets that had found themselves on the floor and transferred the pillows and stuffies to them. Then he wrapped them up and carried them like Santa carries presents. Why didn’t he think of sleeping with the lions sooner? They were technically living beings. 

Lance carefully made his way through the halls to the lions bay. Thankfully even the mice were sleeping. It was even too late at night but not yet morning so Keith should be in his room too. Strangely Keith was one of the two people he was trying to hide this from the most. Hunk was definitely the first as he feared his friends reaction of betrayal for not have coming sooner. Each day that past he found it harder and harder to tell Hunk knowing how hurt his friend would be. But the thought of Keith finding out was a different fear. 

Keith didn’t even know that Lance had died and been revived. For some reason telling him that that had happened was even scarier than Hunk’s reaction. Not to mention the trauma he was now suffering. Keith was unpredictable and not knowing how he’d react had Lance conjuring up the worst possibilities. His opinion was worth more to Lance than even Shiro’s. Maybe that was because Lance was heavily crushing on Keith. Not that he’d admit it. Why would he? As thick headed as Keith was, he was clearly capable of picking on signals and hints of attraction, the proof was in the previous missions. Yet he ignored all of Lance’s attempts to make his attraction known, subtle or blatant. At one point Lance had even asked him straight up if he liked him or not. The answer was a depressing and cold glare. 

At first Lance thought it was just a misunderstanding but he could no longer keep that mindframe. Keith had been treating him the same as everyone else. As a joker who people only took more seriously because he had accurately guessed about the clone Shiro. Besides that Keith wouldn’t even recognise that he was in the same room as him until Lance spoke. Though, that was the same with everyone except Coran who was able to find him anywhere he hid if cleaning needed to be done. 

Lance chased those depressing thoughts away as he entered the hanger. Blue and Red both grumbled their welcome in his head. Blue had stubbornly kept her connection with Lance even after Allura had taken over as her paladin. Blue had insisted it would be beneficial in emergencies and would not interfere with Allura’s connection. To be honest he was grateful.

Skipping Lance dropped his bundle on the floor in the middle of the hanger and looked around for an appropriate place for a nest. The lions let him while they watched in amusement. Finally he spotted a bunch of crates by the wall between the areas for the two lions. “Perfect,” he smiled. Lance hummed as he dragged his materials to the spot behind the crates. Minutes later he was done. It was just a small area but it was his and there was the presence of the lions to comfort him. Something was still missing. “Blue, could you ask Black if he has anything of Keith’s in there?” Lance asked, his cheeks reddening slightly. She laughed in his mind but did anyways. Red decided to start teasing Lance while they waited for a response. His whole face was flaming by the time Blue answered.

She showed him a picture of a corner in the training room. Apparently Keith had a stash of his clothes there. That actually wasn’t too surprising. What was surprising was that Black himself decided to invade Lance’s mind from the slight link they formed when he had to take over during the brief time both Shiro and Keith were gone. Not only that but the habitually strict lion actually gave his approval by saying, “It’s only natural for a Galra’s mate to seek his scent.” That had Lance completely dosed in embarrassment. He didn’t know that Black had the capability for teasing.

Lance scurried away to retrieve some of Keith’s clothes. He ended up with a sweater and a shirt. The smell of Keith wafted in his nose. He immediately relaxed but refrained from putting the shirt on until he returned to the hanger. When he arrived back at his nest he immediately curled up around the sweater. Maybe this would let him sleep. Though, in his gut he knew it would only be temporary.


	2. Who Picks Up on Silence?

He was right. The nest had only worked for a few weeks. Even worse was that he had developed a habit of snatching Keith's clothes whenever he had the chance. It was getting harder to cover up his tiredness. Thankfully by keeping his mouth shut he was able to avoid the questions. Or any attention. That was a bitter sweet fact. This way his friends won't be worrying about him at least, so they'd be able to focus on their job.

A tear slid down his cheek unbidden as he stood in the middle of the launch bay just after returning from a mission. "Lance?" Pidge asked as she turned around, "are you okay?" She was holding the arm she had injured during the mission. Her face was pale and she was swaying unsteadily. Lance looked around to the rest of the team that was making their way to the healing pods. Shiro was carrying Allura's limp body. Hunk and Keith were leaning on each other, both sporting torn clothes that displayed bruises and burn marks.

"I should be asking you that," Lance quipped back, taking the chance the spin and stretch and wipe the tear. He got down on his knees in front of Pidge and said, "Your ride my lady." She rolled her eyes but climbed on. His pretense lasted until the pods shut and Shiro and Coran left to check the footage from the battle. A week or so ago Pidge and Hunk hooked up cameras all around the castles exterior and linked them with the lions feed. This way the footage could be compiled and used to improve the team.

Lance felt his legs start shaking. His chest squeezed and he ran to the lions bay panicking. The halls became slowly blurrier and less distinctive. Heat and ice temperatures flashed his body. His head beat with his heart. Sobs choked him. Blue dimly comforted him. Red urged him in the right direction. Pain flowed from his eyes.

Suddenly all he saw was black. There was no sound. No area. No senses. Nothing. He screamed and tore in order to feel something -anything. All he wanted was proof of his existence. Proof that he was alive; was that too much to ask for? He thought his body was there but now he couldn't see or feel or identify evidence of that. It was as if he wasn't just a mind. But if that's all he was, memories and knowledge, was it worth this void?

A whisper broke through the deafening nothingness, "Lance." He knew that voice. Desperately he focused in the direction it came from. Begging it to come again. "Lance!" it was Keith. Suddenly Lance had arms again and he reached out for the voice. His fingers hit warmth. He clutches his newfound anchor in fear that it would vanish. "Lance! Lance, can you hear me?" Keith said.

"Don't go. Don't go! Please don't leave! Keith don't go. Don't leave me alone. Please don't leave me alone!" Lance sobbed, finally regaining his voice. Keith's scent came and wrapped around him as he continued to beg and hold the body that him.

"Lance, I'm right here. Shh, it's okay," Keith's voice soothed, "You're alive Lance. You didn't die. You are here with me."

Lance's eyes flew open as he felt himself be crushed into Keith's chest, "No, no Keith. You don't understand. I was hit by a ray to save someone. Allure brought me back." His face was soaked with tears. Bright red tears. He had cried so hard his tears were made of blood. "It was terrifying. I was so alone. When I came back I tried to be normal. But it was hard, so hard," Lance pushed himself even deeper into Keith, "Everytime I'm alone and I close my eyes everything disappears. Everyone's gone. At first it was okay but then I started feeling myself die again and again. Even that I could deal with but then I'd start seeing everyone else die and when I'd wake up I couldn't tell anyone because we had bigger problems to fix than my imagination and it would just make everyone worry. Besides, Hunk and Allura would be disappointed that I didn't tell them sooner and I wouldn't be able to handle more disappointed looks than I already get from messing up missions. Plus every planet we go to has people with worse situations than nightmares. But no matter how selfish I am, I just don't want to be alone but at the same time I don't want to cause problems."

Before Lance could say anything else, his chin was lifted and Keith's mouth smashed into his. Effectively stopping the smaller boys shaking. A warm and pleasant sensation froze Lance's thoughts.

"Sorry but you needed to shut up and that's the only way I could think of," Keith said, not so apologetically. His eyes had turned yellow and his teeth and ears elongated. Lance looked at him with wide eyes. Keith had a concerned expression with an unreadable emotion in his eyes. "You need sleep," he said, "I promise I'll be here when you wake up." 

Lance opened his mouth but his protest was silenced by a wet object sliding across his face. "Did you just?" he stuttered. 

Keith smirked and licked his face again, "Tastes good." He laughed at Lance's expression. "Sleep." Keith pulled Lance's head down against his chest. Listening to the black paladins heart beat, Lance relaxed and drifted off.

Looking down Keith frowned and tightened his hold. Anger, hurt, and worry flashed through his eyes in turns. Why wasn't he told that Lance died? Why hasn't anyone noticed their friend was in pain? Didn't anyone understand that dying was a traumatic event that no one could go through unscathed? He looked at the injuries Lance had caused himself and a pang of emotion hit Keith's heart. A growl came out of his throat. Unconsciously he made a decision that this person wasn't allowed to be hurt by anyone except him.


	3. So, Mates?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fixing

Lance woke up and found himself staring at the very attractive face of the person he had a not so little crush on and was now wrapped in said crushes equally not so little arms. He took time to wonder what kind of training Keith did that turned him from a stick into a branch that now dwarfed Lance's whip like body. Kieth wasn't Hunk or Shiro bulky but had added more muscle tone. Plus the baby fat from his face disappeared and left it more defined. Lance was so absorbed in his wonderings that he didn't notice his hand had wandered to play with Kieth's mullet. Nor did he realise Keith had woken up until he felt something nip his nose. "Did you just bite me?" Lance asked in disbelief. 

Keith laughed and stuck his face in Lance's hair, "It was twitching and you taste good."

Lance sheepishly pulled himself out of Keith's arms despite his head begging him to enjoy it longer, "Do I really taste that good?" His cheeks were lightly stained pink under his Cuban complexion. Keith froze awkwardly.

He sat up and rubbed the back of his head, "Yes. It's addicting. Not like cannibalism... Just..." Keith turned equally as red if not more so than Lance did. He quickly coughed and changed the subject, "So, you're the reason behind my missing clothes. It's almost like you're nesting," he stopped again. An odd look crossed his face, "Are you nesting?"

Annoyed that his question was avoided Lance replied, "Why does it matter? Keith's expression made him quickly add, "Your smell helped calm me down so I originally borrowed a shirt and sweater from the training room. It only helped for a bit before I needed more and I eventually found myself picking them up whenever I saw them. I would have been in my room except it's so lonely so I decided to make a spot here because it felt safer with the lions and sometimes Pidge and Hunk stay late to do research so I wasn't alone." Keith put his hands on Lances shoulders and shook him. 

"Lance breath. It's okay. Better than okay," Keith reassured him. Slowly Lance took a deep breath. He had started panicking thinking he did something wrong and he still felt valnrable from last night. Somehow, Keith's voice was like magic and calmed the storm. "Let's get you cleaned up and in a healing pod before the others see the mess you've made of yourself," Kieth continued. Lance was confused until he looked down and saw the injuries on his arms and his side where his shirt road up. He kept his head down, ashamed it wasn't the first time he had hurt himself in his sleep. This was the worst it had gotten in a long time. Keith helped him up silently and lead him to the pods. Pidge and Hunk were still in and unfortunately Shiro was there waiting. Lance stopped immediately when he saw Shiro. Keith grabbed his hand, "Let me handle this," he said. 

Lance kept his head down to hide his cheeks. He couldn't figure out for the life of him why Keith was acting this way. He dared not hope there was something behind the mullet heads thinking. Distracted by the hand holding him, Lance barely heard the excuse Keith gave Shiro before he was pushed into a pod.

Outside the pod Keith took a turn watching the occupants and waiting for them to finish. While he waited he took out a device that opened and allowed him to call his mom. Knowing she had no time for trivial things he got to the point as soon as she answered and said, "What do I look for if my mate is a submissive in the relationship?"

"Scent marking. Nesting, reliance, change of pharamones and possibly body changes in the lower region if needed. Why?" she fired back. 

"Humour me. What if my mate isn't Galra?" he asked while rubbing his forehead.

His mom was busy flying something so she didn't look at the screen when she answered, "As long as you are near them your hormones will change and effect them to get that result, though it depends on is they share your feelings. If you were the submissive your body would change to entice them. Now, mutual benefit law."

He so badly wanted to roll his eyes at her but knew it wouldn't end well, "My mate calling for me was able to pull me out of a healing pod."

Her eyebrow went up, "Impressive. With a bond that strong your heat will be a long one. Better make your relationship solid and public before it hits." With that she was gone. Keith groaned. He had been feeling signs of his heat already. Probably because his mate was near. Keith sat and fiddled wit his dagger and he waited. Thankfully Lance was out first. Keith caught Lance and helped him sit down. Together they sat awkwardly waiting for Pidge and Hunk.

"Do you like me?" Keith suddenly asked. Instantly he wished his tone wasn't so accusatory. What if Lance ran away? Thankfully the boy nodded while looking down. 

"Sorry," Lance said tearfully, still not recovered from last nights episode. Keith panicked, his instincts not liking the emotion coming off Lance in waves. He felt his ears and teeth grow defensively. Not knowing what to say to stop the tears, Keith tipped Lances face and lapped them up. The sounds stopped and the feeling disappeared so Keith kept licking until he couldn't taste anymore tears. Then he backed up to see Lance's expression. Lance looked thoroughly confused and slightly aroused as much as he tried to hide it. 

Keith decided that the easiest way to fix this was to explain the situation,"Galra choose mates unconsciously." Lance still didn't get it. " My hormones affect my chosen if the chemical for deep affection is present and aimed at me," he tried again only to get another black look, so he kept stumbling through his words, "I'm the reason you are nesting with my clothes." He grabbed Lances hand subtly in attempt to get it through but felt it too cliche to hold both hands. 

Lance, slowly formed a sentence as if scared of the impact, "I am your mate. You chose me?" Keith swallowed heavily. Maybe Lance wasn't happy with it but his mom couldn't be wrong. Then a smaller body launched at him and Cuban lips covered his. The click of the healing pods finishing startled them and they quickly rushed to catch their friends.


	4. Two Birds, One Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FYI - short and viewer discretion is advised.

After everyone was reunited and briefed. Lance and Keith stood awkwardly back in the launch bay on the pretense of checking the lions. The three lions connected to Lance had “accidentally” included him in the conversation they were having about him and Keith. They had him blushing new shades of red and Keith seemed to be enjoying staring at his face. Once Keith turned and started walking away, Lance panicked. “Please don’t leave!” he begged quietly, not quite as brave as last night. 

Keith looked back at him, “Why would I? We’re moving your nest to my room. It’s safer there, idiot.” Lance was too touched to come up with a good comeback. They quickly gathered up the mess and transferred it to Keith’s room. After he had returned from the Blade, he had Coran modify his room so that the bunks disappeared and in place was one bed where he usually slept and a hammock with multiple places to fasten it from installed. He had also stressed the importance of sound proofing during heat with or without a mate.

Lance immediately dove onto the bed and started arranging the somewhat random materials to his liking Keith found a satisfied feeling welling up in his chest as he watched. The protectiveness died down a bit but he knew it wouldn’t tide his oncoming heat off for long. A tug pulled him out of his thoughts and into the nest as he found himself arranged into Lance’s work. “Honey,” he coaxed, “I have to close and lock the door.” Lance frowned at him but let him up. Keith chuckled. Then he turned back to see Lance’s mood had completely deteriorated. “What’s wrong?”

Lance was shivering with fear, “What if I never forget? What if I hurt myself in my sleep again?” He as too worried to see Galra Keith come out.  
“You want to forget what happened?” Keith’s voice sent shivers up his spine. Lance froze and nodded, not daring to look up. “Then let me give you a taste of what my heat will be like,” the threat was whispered in Lance’s ear. He was hit with the sudden need to run. Unfortunately Keith was faster. A bruising kiss pushing him to the wall behind the hammock. His hands were pulled over his head and locked there with one of Keith’s. “Only I’m allowed to hurt you,” Keith growled, “You are mine!” Lance’s shirt was shredded into nothing and Keith latched onto one of his nipples cause him to scream as it was sucked harshly. “What a sensitive body you’re hiding beneath your clothes. Imagine how you’ll react when I actually start trying,” Keith taunted, his golden eyes examining his mate like prey and his teeth drawn in anticipation. Lance jolted forward helplessly as Keith’s free hand had found its way into his pants and was now exploring his lower region. A clawed finger teased the rim of his hole relentlessly. 

“Please!” Lance begged. Instantly the finger pushed in with a pop. He felt a warm liquid run down his thighs. Suddenly his pants were gone and Keith had pushed him so his front was on the bed and his legs were standing on the floor spread a shoulder width apart. Another finger was thrust in with the other. 

“Looks like your body already changed but you were too stressed to notice,” Keith said. Then he used his rough tongue to lap up the liquid from Lance’s legs while pushing his fingers in and out. Lance was no longer able to produce any sounds besides gasping and high pitched whines. The Keith hit something with his fingers that sent white stars into his vision. Helplessly Lance’s legs tensed and his toes pushed up for more. His neglected dick let out a white stream but his ass gushed cum as it was held open. Not a drop was wasted as Keith continued to lick Lance’s trembling body. 

Lance collapsed. His knees hit the floor. Exhausted, he laid like there was no such thing as embarrassment and his ass wasn’t shining with saliva and displayed like a prize. “Feeling good?” Keith asked, as he leaned over Lance’s body, purposely placing his clothed groin in the center of his victims butt. Lance inhaled quickly and nodded again. “But I’m not done yet,” Keith voice lowered to an even more dangerous tone. Hearing the threat, Lance tried to more away. “Don’t worry,” Keith snickered, “Today I’m only tasting. In the meanwhile we’ll have to train your little Cuban ass.” 

Any words of protest Lance might have had were interrupted by Keith's two fingers switching from his hole to his mouth. He was rolled over onto his back with Keith firmly between his thighs. The black paladin licked and nipped Lance’s entire front before sliding down to begin nibbling his balls carefully. Lance’s hands searched desperately for something to hold onto. Before they could find purchase, Keith’s free hand pulled one down and somehow tied it to Lance’s knee. The other was attached to its corresponding ankle. 

Then Keith picked up Lance’s hips and pulled them forwards. The two magic fingers dove back into the pulsing hole roughly making Lance gasp and pant at the attack. They were twisted and curled inside him yet pegged his prostate each time. Then they stopped. Lance took the opportunity to breath while his body ached to be filled again. A cold object pressed into his ass slowly.

“No, Keith please. It’s too big,” Lance cried hoarsely. Keith stroked Lance’s head soothingly. 

“Shh, it’s just a small one. You can take it,” he said encouragingly. Lance’s head rolled back and saliva overflowed from the corner of his mouth as the object filled him. Then it moved. Electricity surged through his spaseming body as Keith turned the vibrator up. He felt something close over the base of his penis. Tears filled his eyes as he was denied. 

“Please. Please! Please!” Lance chanted as his body refused to pause it’s search for release. Keith continued to torture him. Then finally, something in his body let go and a cascade of pleasure almost to much to bare washed over him. The toy was pushed back out with enough force to leave a mark on Keith’s stomach. Cum squirted out and covered the black paladin. The Lance’s eyes rolled back into his head as he blacked out.

Keith cleaned his mate up and place him into the nest gently. Maybe Lance would dream about him tonight. It might be too early for that though. The Galra in him didn’t care, he wanted to be the only thing on Lance’s mind all the time and would not stop trying even after they fully mated.


End file.
